A nice and good way to learn new vocabulary and practice your Spanish is listening to a song and studying its lyrics. Have you ever tried this? Today, we'll "analyze" the popular Spanish song for children "El patio de mi casa".

I've also found a site with the sound file. (You need to have installed the Flash plugin.) Click here: El patio de mi casa to listen to this song. ¡Vamos allá! ¡Let's go!

El patio de mi casa

El patio de mi casa es particular- patio is a masculine substantive. (That's why the article preceding it is also masculine: "el").- patio means "yard".- mi is a possessive adjective, and corresponds to the English "my".- casa : house, sometimes "home"- es particular "es" is the verb of the sentence. Present tense, third person. Infinitive: "Ser".

Cuando llueve se moja como los demás- cuando llueve = when it rains. - llueve is an impersonal verb and its infinitive form is "Llover".Do you remember Spanish irregular verbs?? Do you remember there are some irregular verbs which infinitive form vowel "o" changes to "ue"? Here we have an example for this: Llover --> Llueve.- se moja. It (the yard) gets wet. Mojarse = To get wet.

- como. "como" can be translated according to the context. Note that "como" can be either an adverb ("as"), or it can be the first person of the verb "comer" (To eat - I eat). In this case, "como" works as an adverb ("as"). Then...- como los demás: as others do. "los demás" = "the others". In Spanish, in this case, the verb is omitted. The complete expressions would be: "como los demás se mojan".Agáchate, y vuélvete a agachar- Agáchate. This is the imperative form of the reflexive verb "Agacharse" = To duck.- y vúelvete a agachar. There is another way, also valid, to say this: "y vuelve a agacharte". Here, we have "vuelve a", from the infinitive "volver". This expression is the equivalent to "keep on". "vuelve" is an imperative, so its complete translation is: "and keep on ducking".

que las agachaditas no saben bailar.- las agachaditas. "agachaditas" refers to "(femenime) people who have quickly moved downwards". In fact, the adjective is "agachadas" (feminine, plural) and the "-itas" ending is a diminutive suffix.- no saben bailar."saben" is the third person plural (they) of the verb "saber" (present tense). This is translated as "(they) cannot dance".Note that the Spanish verb "saber" means "to know", so the expression used in Spanish to say "someone can do something" uses the verb "saber".

Que si tu no me quieres...- Que: That- si: Again, we have a Spanish word with different uses/meanings: "si" can be either the affirmative "yes" or the conditional "if", depending on the context.- tu no me quieres = you do not love me. Present tense, second person singular (you) of the verb "Querer" (Negative form). Querer = To love.

Otro amante me querrá.- Otro amante: Other lover. As "amante" is a masculine noun, we have to use the masculine form adjective: Otro.- me querrá. "(he)'ll love me". Again the verb "querer", but this time it is conjugated in future tense.

Estirad, estirad, que el demonio va a pasar.- Estirad: To stretch. This is also an imperative.- demonio: devil.- va a pasar: (he) is going to pass.

For any question of comment, feel free to e-mail me or just post a message at the forum.

¡Que tenga un buen día!Angeles F.

Recommended material:I write monthly articles for "Think Spanish" ("Piensa en español") since 2002. All "Think Spanish" articles are written in Spanish, and they include a Spanish/English glossary. You'll also have the option to buy this magazine including a CD. Nice way to learn about Spanish language and customs!